Breaking Ground Summer 2019 by Edmonton Construction Association

How 5G will unlock a level of connectivity never seen before

The ECAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IPF brings together industry to discuss innovative ideas

New brewery in Edmonton pays homage to renowned Alberta Game Farm

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40934510

Official Publication of the Edmonton Construction Association

Summer 2019

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Construction for Cannabis businesses on the rise in Edmonton

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Growing like a weed

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summer 2019

Message from the executive director, John McNicoll

Message from the ECA Board of Directors

Upcoming ECA events

Your ECA team

Disrupting the industry: Recap of the ECA’s Infrastructure Productivity Forum

ON THE COVER

Growing like a weed: Cannabis production facilities construction soars in Edmonton

Alberta Construction Association update

The Century Mile Racetrack and Casino bringing more tourism opportunities to Edmonton

Estimating Edmonton: Recap of the ECA Estimators Fair on April 25

Learning from industry: YBG holds spring Face Time event

Class is in session: The ECA’s Digital Project Delivery (DPD) courses

Serving the industry The ECA offers a Construction Management Course for the City of Edmonton

Off to the races:

The world needs more philosophers right about now: How 5G will unlock a layer of connectivity

From bears to brews: Polar Park Brewing Company pays homage to Albertan game farm legend

Pushing through: Profile on Hendriks Construction

Growing and learning through partnership: BuildWorks Alberta

Father and son duo work together to change Edmonton’s skyline Profile on Dub Architects Ltd.

Index to advertisers

ECA Eddie

On the cover Left: Bert DeBruin, owner, AltaPro Electric | Centre: Bob Smith, area manager, construction operations Alberta, Modern Niagara | Right: Rob McGrath, president, Synergy Projects

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ECA Breaking Ground Published by: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 0G5 www.delcommunications.com

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2019 ECA BOARD Trevor Doucette (chair) Jillene Lakevold (vice-chair)

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Contributing Writers Melanie Franner Ken Gibson Kevin Hampson Jeffrey Hanson-Carlson Taylor Lambert Amanda Lefley Jason Syvixay

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Jamey Singh Mike Staines

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Message from the Executive Director

Greetings to you and your team! Construction leaders have to be creative, resourceful, and innovative in confronting a myriad of challenges. As technology evolves with incremental and occasionally massive improvements, it creates opportunities for new efficiencies, productivity, and profit. As a member firm, you innovate, experiment, and test for implementation benefits, and you find your own advantages for long-term utilization of new technology. I am impressed that so many of our members are bold and courageous in their pursuit of efficient, exceptional construction. The ECA is also innovating and improving each year by the following: • We are deepening our engagement of all owners, clarifying scopes of work, vendor evaluation processes, advocating for clear contracts, timely payment, and best practices in each project delivery method. • We are constantly improving our aggregation of construction opportunities to maximize private and public opportunities that are available to our members on BuildWorks. • We are expanding our pre-bid information and pursuing stronger relationships with private owners and designers to help industry respond well to market realities. • In the last six years, we have increased from $3 billion per year to almost $5 billion in the total value of opportunities awarded in Alberta.

Edmonton Construction Association

• We have modernized our building, our board governance, and all our IT systems. • We have created deeper engagement and service to our membership with new programs of the ECA. Some of these programs include the YBG, Owners Forum, Professional Estimating Group (PEG), Meet the GC events, Canadian Leadership Institute (CLI), and Digital Project Delivery (DPD) courses. If you have additional ideas for our association improvement, please let me know. Owners in every sector are innovating – from amazing towers and energy-efficient warehouses to cannabis production facilities, as seen on our cover, and every manner of building that responds to our diversifying market. These initiatives will have to be met by a modern and adapting construction community. Thanks for all you do to contribute your part. Have a great year in business and thanks for allowing us to contribute to your success. In your service,

John McNicoll Executive Director Edmonton Construction Association

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Message from the ECA Board of Directors

A goal-oriented year With 2019 almost at its midpoint, the ECA’s 2019 Board of Directors is well into delivering on its strategic plan. Part of that plan is to ensure that the right people are in place at the board level. To that end, we are pleased to extend a warm welcome to these new board members: • Derek Ciezki, partner, SMP Engineering; • Dana Bouwman, account executive, Insight Insurance and Risk Management; • Jamey Singh, chief operating officer, Clark Builders; and • Mike Staines, operations manager, PCL Construction Management Inc. The 2019 board is off to a great start with several new initiatives already underway. All of these are in line with

our strategic priorities: to fulfill our service role and become the Hub of Construction; to broaden membership, maximize experiences, and drive member value; and to build YBG Involvement. This year’s board will remain focused on developing ways to use innovation and creativity to lead and drive industry forward. Examples of these include the identification and promotion of best practices, as well as challenging the status quo. Instructional insight One new initiative designed to support the ECA’s service role as the Hub of Construction is to offer new courses and broader engagement. We are pleased to report that 77 project

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managers at the City of Edmonton recently took part in one of ECA’s project management and delivery courses. Similarly, the ECA will administer a Digital Project Delivery (DPD) course in May and June to help members transition and adopt innovations in lifecycle-based construction delivery through the use of computer models. Benefits will include significantly increased short-term design and construction savings for all shareholders, as well as substantial long-term savings in operations and maintenance. The 24-hour course is premised on the assertion that earlier and broader stakeholder involvement in projects benefits everyone. This is made

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possible through various technologies and practices, such as clash detection and cloud-based, single-model communications. Research-based evidence indicates that as much as 20 to 30 per cent savings can be achieved throughout the entire lifecycle with the adoption of these new practices. The course will create collaborative, experiential learning of DPD with the multi-disciplinary participation of owners (inclusive of procurement and facility managers), engineers, architects, trades, general contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers. Alberta Infrastructure has already launched $3 billion worth of DPD projects, while the University of Alberta and many other private owners are creating their own project requirements premised on these new technologies and lifecycle practices. With the volume of DPD projects on the rise, courses like these will

Edmonton Construction Association

help ECA members and construction stakeholders to fully participate in this emerging market.

industry’s best practices among estimators and to connect them relationally.

Notable networks Building and maintaining relational capital and connection in the age of electronic communication makes networking all that more significant. As such, the ECA remains committed to serving as a Hub of Construction relationships. In addition to educational networking, which is powerful in its own right, the new ECA board will continue to support those individuals in the first half of their construction careers. The creation of YBG (in brand harmony with YEG) has resulted in more 1,200 members, along with 10 to 12 annual education and networking events. The PEG is ECA’s newest “kid” on the block. The Professional Estimators Group (PEG) seeks to strengthen

Busy board With 2019 well underway, the ECA Board is in the midst of delivering a strong mix of initiatives and programs designed to drive the industry forward. At the heart of these initiatives remains the overall goal of supporting its members and helping them to address market challenges. Success is never guaranteed. But the robust initiatives on offer certainly speak to fulfilling the ECA’s trifecta of success measures: • building construction leaders for the success of the ECA; • being essential to member success; and • becoming the Hub of Construction and a sought-after advisor in the Edmonton construction industry. Wishing you all a successful year! u

NETWORKING EVENTS 2019 FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2019 YBG Amazing Race

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019 PEG Golf Tournament

For more information about

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FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2019 Welcome to Summer BBQ

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2019 End of Summer BBQ

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THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2019 PEG Hub Night

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 Women in Construction Event

Brewsters, Oliver Square

TBD

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ECA Breaking Ground | Summer 2019 17

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ECA Breaking Ground | Summer 2019 19

Disrupting the industry

The ECA’s Infrastructure Productivity Forum brings together industry to discuss innovative ideas

By Taylor Lambert

(L to R) Mark Bryant, PCL; Henry Edgar, Edgar Development; Bob Smith, Modern Niagara; Jeff DiBattista, DIALOG; and Michael Kennedy, Ernst & Young in the panel discussion.

Jonathan Schaeffer, an expert in artificial intelligence (AI) at the University of Alberta, spoke about the power of computing and the need for all businesses in all sectors to find ways to harness AI and the power of “big data”.

Michael Kennedy of Ernst & Young spoke about the need to re-think project management and governance practices with an eye towards delivering better value.

Edmonton Construction Association

February’s Infrastructure Productivity Forum went off without a hitch, but that’s not to say it wasn’t full of disruption. The event, held on February 8, 2019 at the Edmonton Expo Centre, featured industry experts and big thinkers discussing and debating disruptive trends in the construction industry, and the opportunities and risks for business owners to be aware of in the future. Over breakfast, the large audience of attendees were treated to thoughtprovoking presentations from three diverse speakers. Jonathan Schaeffer, an expert in artificial intelligence (AI) at the University of Alberta, spoke about the power of computing and the need for all businesses in all sectors to find ways to harness AI and the power of “big data”. “Artificial intelligence is the most profound contribution of the 20th century,” said Schaeffer. While AI might seem more like the stuff of social media platforms or voiceactivated smartphone apps, Schaeffer said any business that collects and records information should be making use of it. “You’ve got data—use it. Turn data into knowledge,” Schaeffer implored, saying that collecting data about suppliers or customers or anything else without using it is “wasting money”. It takes imagination to think of ways to apply AI to the construction industry— Schaeffer admits he’s not familiar with the specific needs of the sector to provide examples of best applications— but given how powerful, affordable and pervasive computing has become, AI can offer significant untapped opportunities to those who find ways to innovate. One example of an obvious role for advanced computing in construction could be more use of robotics for handling difficult, dangerous, or repetitive jobs, whether on sites or in warehouses. Depending on the nature of the work, robots paired with AI could be able to quickly adapt or ‘learn’ from changes in their work environment.

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Scheduling, route planning, supply chain, and inventory management— anything where efficiencies can be found, AI and analytics can help. The sky, according to Schaeffer, is the limit. “Where do you think you can improve your processes?” Michael Kennedy of Ernst & Young spoke about the need to re-think project management and governance practices with an eye towards delivering better value. Contract structures, he said, need to mitigate risk “by giving it to people who know how to manage it.” “Design-bid-build has to end because it doesn’t deliver value,” he said. One of Kennedy’s focus points around the future wasn’t complex or innovative technology, but something much more familiar—people. That is, the people who make up your business. Technology can’t solve all problems, and a strong, dedicated, and talented team will be invaluable for meeting future challenges. Speaking about a “war for talent”, competing for the expertise

necessary to navigate the disruptions of the future, Kennedy said managers and owners should think less about pinching pennies and more about who brings the best skillset and attitude. “You don’t pick your players based on who’s cheapest, but on who adds value to your team.” Jeff DiBattista, practice principal at DIALOG, rounded out the keynote speakers. Highlighting the need for a shift in mindsets in the design and construction sectors, DiBattista pointed to climate change as a major disruptive issue looming over industry, and society more generally. Businesses need to start thinking about how to anticipate coming changes and begin taking steps now for a smooth transition, whether it be in the way buildings are designed or thinking about how housing needs might change. Computing was also a focus of DiBattista’s presentation, both in terms of industry-specific considerations— like smart buildings or the Internet of things—as well as the need to find

efficiencies through computer modelling in design work. In challenging the audience to better their businesses by thinking outside the box in various ways, DiBattista also hit on a bigger idea: that design and construction firms need to take a leading role in building vibrant communities. By shifting the focus away from simply their own bottom line, businesses can be significant leaders in civic-minded ways, putting forward better designs that serve to better people’s lives in meaningful ways rather than just fulfill the basic needs of a contract. The bottom line for DiBattista was that the industry needs to overhaul its thinking and break out of the current, limiting processes and frameworks. Particular targets for him include the segregation inherent in building and design, and the contractual models that dissuade new approaches. “The current system separating designers from builders and specialty trades from general contractors, and so

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on,” DiBattista said. “Now that you want to introduce disruption into that system, it doesn’t work, it’s not compatible with change. So we have to fix the contractual collaboration side of things, and then change our mindsets about our work.” Change requires innovation, and innovation requires risk—but the current culture is inherently risk-averse, which leads to stagnation. “There’s all these inherent disincentives to experiment,” said DiBattista. “We have to have the ability to experiment, we have to have the ability to fail occasionally. That’s really hard, particularly if an owner has hired you to be innovative, and then it fails, and then you’ve got a lawsuit.” He brought up the many failed attempts of the Wright brothers to build a working airplane before finally succeeding with their invention, which in turn revolutionized every aspect of society. In a more modern context, disruptive tech companies similarly required the space and flexibility to

experiment and fail before successfully developing their own world-changing products. “I think we need to take a little bit of that tech entrepreneurial innovation swagger and bring it into our firms; try stuff, see what works, stop doing the things that don’t work, and keep investing in the things that do work,” said DiBattista. “Be the disrupter—don’t sit around waiting for your industry to be disrupted.” After the presentations, DiBattista joined a panel discussion on stage that included Henry Edgar of Edgar Developments, Mark Bryant of PCL and Bob Smith of Modern Niagara. Kennedy served as the moderator for the discussion, which largely centered around the overarching theme of the event: what types of disruption are coming to the industry, and how firms can get ahead of the curve by thinking outside the current box. Bryant mentioned that PCL is already incorporating technology into its

business, including virtual reality for design. He and others also returned to the topic of designing smart buildings with technology incorporated in complex but foundational ways, and the staff expertise that requires. While the road ahead is still hard to see, all agreed that the future of construction and design was certain to provide both opportunities and challenges, and that the time to start adapting is right now. The forces that will define and shape the next era of the sector are still opaque and uncertain, and while jumping head-first into change might seem risky, there’s also a gamble in sticking with the status quo. The businesses who find innovative ways to navigate that path will be poised to become the big players of the future, while those who stick to what they know now risk getting left behind. “My fear,” said Smith, “is that we’ll leave this room and five years from now we’ll be having the same conversation.” u

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Alberta Construction

Association update By Ken Gibson, ACA Executive Director

Led by 2019 chairman Ian Reid (vice-

construction value chain, if it leads to

along with other associations wrote

president, Bird Construction, Calgary),

improvements in the flow of payment.

the minister of infrastructure urging

the Alberta Construction Association’s

The ACA presented the association’s

a speedy resolution of outstanding

(ACA) board has approved three

concerns in a first meeting with Service

payments. A priority of the associations

priorities: Influencing the Government’s

Alberta.

after the election will be working with the next government to address the

Policy Agenda; Support Development

Building on reviews undertaken in

of Member Capabilities; and Advance

Ontario and by the federal government

Industry Interests with Government

should speed a review that takes into

Procurement.

account the unique nature of Alberta’s

provincial election campaign, meeting

legislation and market.

with the caucus of each major party,

Influencing government

Delayed payment issues became very

hospital payments. The ACA played an active role in the

developing and distributing a candidate

visible with the impact of unresolved

questionnaire, and establishing an

responded to the ACA’s call for a review

payments on the Grande Prairie hospital.

election website to raise awareness

of construction payment legislation. A

The Edmonton Construction Association,

of the issues of importance to our

review will be welcomed throughout the

Alberta Construction Association,

industry. The ACA reminded the parties

The Government of Alberta has

Edmonton Construction Association

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ECA Breaking Ground | Summer 2019 27

whoever forms government. The ACA is finalizing specific proposals to revisit changes in these pieces of legislation.

that many Alberta families rely on a healthy construction industry, as onein-10 working Albertans directly earns their living in construction (240,000+ workers), with thousands more employed in related services and manufacturing. The ACA remains non-partisan so that we can represent your interests irrespective of which political party forms government after any election. It is a fact that the NDP government extensively updated laws and regulations affecting your employees and your firms – including Employment Standards, Occupational Health and Safety, the WCB, and tendering requirements. The ACA continues to hear from members that not all of the changes fit the unique nature of construction work – weather conditions, remote locations, projectbased work where the role for one trade may be affected by the completion of work by other trades. Our advocacy focus remains squarely on two themes – advocating for sustainable, predictable investment so that our employees have steady predictable careers of choice, and advocacy to minimize unintended consequences that reduce the opportunity for our workers to earn the incomes they need to support their families. This advocacy will not change

Supporting member capabilities The construction trade press and industry commentators sound on an almost daily basis that the construction industry will be subject to more change in the next five years than the last 50 years. The ACA is undertaking a number of inter-related projects to help our membership respond to technological change. In partnership with Alberta Economic Development, BuildWorks Canada, and local construction associations, the ACA is undertaking a market validation study. The ACA will be seeking the views of selected owners to determine their expectations of industry capabilities in terms of BIM, lean, IPD, etc. Based on the findings, BuildWorks will look to add data fields to their industry directory so that firms will have the opportunity to market themselves based on selected capabilities. The ACA has also initiated a project with other construction employer associations, labour unions, BuildForce Canada, and the Alberta Ministry

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of Labour to map out a strategy to assist construction workers to upskill in the face of changing construction technologies. The ACA is also facilitating conversations amongst members on innovation issues, and exploring partnerships to facilitate member adoption of promising technologies. Government procurement The ACA continues to engage Alberta Infrastructure and Alberta Health Services in dialogue to ensure efficient and fair procurement and project delivery processes. The ACA’s workshops on the implications of onerous non-standard contract terms moves into Phase 2, engaging in dialogue directly with owners to better understand how the contracting industry prices onerous terms, and dialogue to find win-win solutions of protecting owner interests while providing fair and profitable project opportunities for industry. Community Benefit Agreements (also known as social procurement) have emerged with some public tender authorities in Alberta. Alberta Infrastructure is piloting CBAs in the Reynolds Museum project. The intent of a CBA is to incorporate locally identified needs such as local employment or local suppliers as part of the project deliverables. While the ACA believes that Alberta’s construction industry already pursues local hiring, the association has expressed its interest in partnering with the government to develop tender language and resource documents to ensure our small-to-medium-size enterprises can successfully participate in CBA procurements. The ACA believes that the inclusion of CBA deliverables should be written so as to not interfere with the integrity of the bidding process, be achievable within the contract term, and focus on the project and not on changing the operations of the contracting team. Thanks for your continuing engagement and support. u

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Estimating Edmonton According to Edmonton’s estimators, the city’s revitalization and construction story is trending up By Jason Syvixay

Over 200 estimators, spec writers, quantity surveyors, and project managers gathered for an afternoon of presentations and networking as part of the annual Estimators Fair on April 25 at the PIC at NAIT.

If you’re an outsider looking in, you might underestimate the revitalization activity happening in Edmonton, Alta. Multi-million-dollar investments are unfolding across the city. In the core, Stantec Tower, an 823-foot development hovers over an emerging ICE District, a $2.5 billion sports and hospitality district, which is vying to become Canada’s largest mixed-use entertainment hub. To the east of downtown, Edmonton’s arts and cultural scene is coalescing — with a series of projects like the $375 million Royal Alberta Museum or the future transformation of two vacant buildings into the Ociciwan Contemporary Art Collective in The Quarters District. To the west of downtown, a new urban park is set to evolve several surface parking lots 30

into “people-places”, which is space for passive to active recreation to support growing residential demand; it has sparked the imagination and discussion of many. To the north of downtown, a nationally-endorsed design competition solicited proposals for ‘missing middle’ housing in Spruce Avenue. Not so far away from this design site, a $34.9 million investment from the federal government helped lay the foundation for the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT) Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC), envisioned as a central hub for services and solutions to business and industry. There’s no doubt about it: Edmonton’s revitalization story is causing a stir.

Edmonton Construction Association

For Tristan Pelias, a chief estimator at United Paint & Coatings Experts, membership with the Edmonton Construction Association (ECA) has been critical towards understanding the revitalization narrative of the city, keeping current on existing and futureplanned construction legislation and standards, and networking with allied professionals. “Events put on by the Edmonton Construction Association help us learn more about what’s new in the industry, what’s coming up, and provides valuable networking opportunities,” said Pelias. An immigrant from the Philippines, Pelias first moved to Victoria seven years ago before calling Calgary home. He drives into Edmonton three times

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With all of these innovations on display, one would have mistaken the event as the headquarters of an Edmonton technological start-up.

Augmented Reality (AR) goggles were worn to review construction drawings in a three-dimensional, spatial way.

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a week, as his company is expanding rapidly here and across the nation. “We’re based in Calgary and have been in business for 20 years,” said Pelias. “We decided last year to open in Edmonton, as it is a fast-growing city. There’s the new airport and the two new towers in downtown. We want to be part of the action.” United Paint & Coating Experts is a commercial painting contractor that specializes in commercial and industrial coating applications. Pelias and his team provide services like interior/exterior architecture coating, millwork finishing, concrete polishing, and polymer epoxy. Drawing in a crowd In the bright and airy Productivity & Innovation Centre (PIC), over 200 estimators, spec writers, quantity surveyors, and project managers gathered for an afternoon of presentations and networking as part of the annual Estimators Fair. Presented by the Professional Estimating Group (PEG), conference attendees heard from an expert panel who shared their lessons from the design and construction of the PIC, and gained insight on emerging technologies in their profession at numerous tradeshow-style booths, coordinated by their peers. Julien Gelineau, a senior estimator at PCL Construction and a two-time veteran of the Estimators Fair, said these types of opportunities to interact and connect with others in the field is critical towards determining industry challenges and opportunities. They also support larger outcomes like innovation and greater collaboration in design and construction.

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“Like it or not, our work keeps us indoors most of the time, and often in silos,” said Gelineau. “These types of events bring all professionals involved in the development and revitalization spectrum together under one roof. As technologies emerge, our learning will need to adapt. We can’t take for granted these opportunities to get on the same page and to learn from one another.”

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Technological disruption driving industry change Disruption, in the form of new technological advances to support process improvements and enhanced construction standards in development, design, and construction were on full display at the Estimators Fair. Powered exoskeletons wearable mobile machines were tested by attendees, demonstrating the ease of electrical, robotic systems in supporting contractors during building construction. Augmented Reality (AR) goggles were worn to review construction drawings in a threedimensional, spatial way. Drones that detect, scan, and model landscape topography were buzzing throughout the PIC central meeting space. BIM systems that help visualize clashing were prototyped. With all of these innovations on display, one would have mistaken the event as the headquarters of an Edmonton technological start-up. Collaboration, design, innovation, and safety add to a building’s bottom line A panel featuring NAIT’s Greg Topinka, GEC Architecture’s Peter Osborne, Flynn Canada’s Gino Coco, Kerr Interior’s Darryl Wiebe, and ICON Industrial’s Mike Lisitza — all part of the PIC’s development — shared the financial rationale for greater collaboration, commitment to design and innovation, and safety. Osborne, the PIC’s architect, said pricing of the building was an “iterative and engaging process between the architect and our estimators.” This

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Challenges faced by the industry were discussed with particular tools and lessons-learned shared, leaving delegates with ideas and actions to support immediate and long-term changes.

Presented by the Professional Estimating Group (PEG), conference attendees heard from an expert panel who shared their lessons from the design and construction of the PIC, and gained insight on emerging technologies in their profession at numerous tradeshow-style booths, coordinated by their peers.

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collective effort paid off, with the design completed on-budget and on-time from November 2016 to April 2018. While the project’s pro forma was a significant priority, Osborne commented on how “there was a conviction to keep architecture bound to NAIT’s vision.” This design innovation, Wiebe noted, was achieved by an embrace of technology. “The uniqueness of the job was the helical staircase, which is something we don’t always see. With technology, we were able to do the panels without a field measurement,” said Osborne. “We went from scan to site. I needed to trust the technology and I did.” During the panel, safety was identified as a necessity of any construction site. An ad-hoc system of anonymous sticky-notes for staff to share their safety concerns was added to their construction site. Quarterly surveys were administered to get perspectives from key stakeholders. Monthly meetings with staff were facilitated to celebrate key milestones. “Moral on the job site was very important,” Topinka said. “There’s no number in the world that can quantify this. When important milestones were met, we held celebrations and lunches so that we could deliver key messaging about the project.” These are soft costs that aren’t visualized in a budget, yet they help protect a project’s bottom line, Topinka added.

Powered exoskeletons wearable mobile machines were tested by attendees, demonstrating the ease of electrical, robotic systems in supporting contractors during building construction.

Growing the pie Steve Boser of Kerr Interiors said that they could not have been more pleased about the turnout at this year’s Estimators Fair. “We saw a genuinely keen and interested group of attendees committed to our industry and profession and in learning about new construction processes, standards, and technologies. We want to thank all of our committed volunteers who help put this on and welcome input and feedback for next year’s event,” said Boser, who was also one of the organizers of the event. The Estimators Fair was about enhancing the industry’s image, local knowledge, and capacity, so that more and better design-construction can be done in an efficient way. Challenges faced by the industry were discussed with particular tools and lessons-learned shared, leaving delegates with ideas and actions to support immediate and long-term changes. “When we get together and learn from one another, we are actually growing the pie,” Pelias commented following the event’s conclusion. “When we do things properly, everyone else will notice. It just gives our profession and the design-construction process a better reputation.” Sign up to the Edmonton Construction Association’s e-newsletter to receive updates on upcoming events, webinars, and gatherings by visiting edmca.com. u

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Learning from industry YBG holds spring Face Time event By Shayna Wiwierski

Face Time is aimed to bring together YBGs with senior leaders from the owner, architect, engineer, and contractor communities.

One of the YBG’s most popular events was held this past March. On March 21, 2019, around 50 members of Edmonton’s construction industry who are in the first half of their construction career, gathered at The Foundry Room from 3 to 5 p.m. for Face Time – Different Paths to Success. The event is aimed to bring together YBGs with senior leaders from the owner, architect, engineer, and contractor communities. “Face Time is a reoccurring event that we have had for a couple years now at the YBG,” says Daniel McAllister, construction 38

Edmonton Construction Association

services account executive at HUB International, as well as a member of the YBG leadership team. “It’s designed to be a mentoring-style event where attendees can pick the brains of numerous mentors in the industry for usually 20 minutes at a time.” The event has been ongoing for three years now and is popular because it allows those YBGers in the first half of their construction careers the rare opportunity to meet with presidents, owners, principals in construction companies, and speak with them in an unscripted capacity. They get to ask

whatever questions they want and hear the experiences of the various mentors in attendance. The event runs like speed dating, in that six to eight mentors stay stationary at a table and then the attendees are rotated in groups from table to table for 20 minutes each in an informal discussion. March’s Face Time event featured a number of industry bigwigs, including Andrew Ross, president of Clark Builders; Brian Baker, principal/owner of Cyclone Real Estate; Dave Bentley, past chair of the ECA for 2017 and principal of BLK

Photo Courtesy of Clark Builders

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Ventures Inc.; Janet Koshuta, principal of HFKS Architects; Jayson Barclay, project development with Bennett Architecture; Kerri Hagen, project manager for A & H Steel; Steve Hala with CORE Geomatics; and Paul Gantar, president of Stanley Construction. When it came to choosing who they wanted as the mentors for March’s event, the YBG leadership team brainstormed what value they wanted to bring to their audience. “You try to jump into the mind of ‘if I’m a 25 year old and have a couple years in the industry and trying to get my feet wet, where do I want to spend my extra-curricular time?’ What is the most value we can bring?” says McAllister, who has been a member of the YBG since it started back in 2014. “For this year, for example, it really just organically came from a casual conversation our education committee was having over lunch, which was, it’s very interesting in construction how many different ways you can take

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The event runs like speed dating, in that six to eight mentors stay stationary at a table and then the attendees are rotated in groups from table to table for 20 minutes each in an informal discussion.

The event is designed to be a mentoring-style event where attendees can pick the brains of numerous mentors in the industry for usually 20 minutes at a time.

to get to your end career. Or how much transition or how much mobility we have in this industry.” McAllister says that it’s important for YBGers to know that there isn’t a single right way to advance in their career. He says that each mentor’s background and experience was different and the paths they choose to get them to where they are now were all completely different. “The thinking is, ‘well, if I’m an audience member, especially early in my career, and I had a lot of anxiety of am I doing the right thing? Am I going about this the right way? What are other people doing that I should be doing?’ There’s a lot of value there and just learning the stories out there. As long as you are doing what you love and are passionate about it, there’s no right way to do it.” The YBG is planning to have another Face Time event this fall and registration usually starts a couple months prior

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The YBG is planning to have another Face Time event this fall and registration usually starts a couple months prior to the event.

to the event. The committee also tries to hold these events at trendier spots around the city as opposed to a hotel conference room. McAllister says that the March event held at The Foundry Room was very positive and the leadership committee was impressed by the amount of excitement in the room. He says that these events are designed to be an open dialogue between attendees and the mentors, as opposed to a canned presentation. Overall, the feedback for the event was positive and McAllister mentions that there were a number of firsttime attendees who appreciated the networking side of it as well. He says that every YBG event is designed for networking and meeting people. “It’s not something you go to and everyone in the room knows each other and gets cliquey,” says McAllister. “It’s an open event and it’s tough to go to things like this and not get involved, so it’s great.” u

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Class is in session The ECAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digital Project Delivery (DPD) courses aim to enhance design and construction outcomes, and connect industry professionals By Jason Syvixay

The desire to build up local knowledge and capacity in the design and construction industry under growing technological pressure is the modus operandi for the Digital Project Delivery (DPD) courses presented by the ECA. Photo supplied by holo-blok.

From extinct primates to human life, there is one certainty in all of us: our desire to learn and to continually evolve. However, more recently, the advance of technology has raised thought-provoking questions around our probable devolution. In some cities where this emergence is most salient, robot baristas can serve up a cup of coffee, autonomous vehicles move people from home-to-work, and even surgeries are performed delicately through robotic hands. Experts have theorized and predicted 46

that many jobs will disappear over the next few decades with the advent of sophisticated mechanization. Yet, according to others, jobs that require people to think critically, to analyze, and to problem solve; that require people to see the bigger picture and adapt to changes, will be the necessary traits to potentially skirt the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing technological disruption. These traits are a common feature of design and construction professionals. Today, modular houses can be built through automation, review and

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approval of development applications can be facilitated through algorithms, and municipal visions can be modelled through Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing inventory of aerial imagery. These technological advances are challenging design and construction professionals to either adapt or stick to old ways. This industry disruption is not to be feared, according to architects like Roddy Handa of holo-blok, an architecture firm based in Edmonton, Alta. Holo-blok provides a breadth of services, from BIM and technology

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14 sessions. Five learning modules. 88 hours of one-of-a-kind training. Held at the ECA Learning Centre at 10215-176 Street in Edmonton, an anticipated 100 architects, general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, owners, and manufacturers/suppliers gathered to participate in the inaugural Digital Project Delivery (DPD) courses, which ran from May 22 to June 6.

implementation to bespoke architectural design solutions. “People don’t want to oppose technology. They just have a fear of the unknown,” says Handa, adding that he thinks technological change is a necessary evolution of the practice. “There will be earlier adopters. For us, as we learn to adapt and embrace new ways of doing things, we want to be able to share this information. We want to be a hub so we can support the industry as a whole. When we are all working with the same set of tools, we’re only going to grow the pie.”

Building local knowledge and capacity The desire to build up local knowledge and capacity in the design and construction industry under growing technological pressure is the modus operandi for the Digital Project Delivery (DPD) courses presented by the Edmonton Construction Association. 14 sessions. Five learning modules. 88 hours of one-of-a-kind training. Held at the ECA Learning Centre at 10215176 Street in Edmonton, an anticipated 100 architects, general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, owners, and

manufacturers/suppliers gathered to participate in the inaugural Digital Project Delivery (DPD) courses, which ran from May 22 to June 6. The DPD courses are aimed to review and apply DPD principles, as well as offer information on all of the tools and processes that are needed to succeed on a collaborative construction team. The courses also provide an understanding of the culture shift happening in design and construction, of the ways to become more efficient and profitable, and of the ways in which technological advances can improve and streamline the design and construction process. The courses have been carefully crafted by experts in each of these disciplines, will teach attendees about how the current system is broken, and will understand current opportunities available to correct these shortcomings. Attendees will work together in groups to understand discipline-specific lessons that will allow them to embrace this

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Roddy Handa of holo-blok, an architecture firm based in Edmonton, Alta.

Aaron Schneider, BIM manager for Arpi’s North Inc., a mechanical subtrade that performs in-house piping, plumbing, and sheet metal fabrication and installation.

transition, and they will also work with

architects in “eliminating waste, making

other disciplines to appreciate the

their workflows more effective, and

of the instructors of the DPD courses,

interplay and opportunities throughout

driving more value into projects”.

Handa hopes to demonstrate that

“The DPD courses originated

design and construction that result in

Mirra Maheden, a VDC manager with EllisDon Construction Services Inc. and an instructor with the DPD courses.

As an early adopter of DPD and one

advancing the Digital Project Delivery

better, more profitable projects. Finally,

because Alberta Infrastructure

and incorporating new technologies

attendees will learn about emerging

released new Digital Project Delivery

doesn’t necessarily mean additional

trends in facility management programs

requirements. Industry became

costs.

of owners, such as Alberta Infrastructure,

concerned that there would be an effect

so that they can remain competitive in

on every team member’s bottom line

use outdated procurement models,”

this field through meeting the goals of

because of these new requirements,”

says Handa. “The more collaborative

owners.

Handa reflected.

procurement models we have in place,

As part of the Royal Alberta Design is a collaborative solution

“It would cost more money if you

the less money implementation of a

Museum’s redevelopment, Handa and

digital project delivery workflow will cost

his team at holo-blok undertook the

you. The more collaborative process you

can be effectively and creatively

first Digital Project Delivery for Alberta

have in place, the more effective you will

implemented in a project’s workflow

Infrastructure to respond to the new

be, and theoretically make more profit.

— supporting developers, builders, and

facility management requirements.

We’re trying to educate all stakeholders,

Handa believes that technology

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so that they can have a competitive edge.” One of the procurement models that should be used, according to Handa, is Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). “IPD is a poly-party agreement,” says Handa. “We’re designing and building two schools with another architectural firm, ACI Architects. The idea is that we all sign one contract, and our profit is tied to the success of that project. If we want to profit, we need to collectively make sure the project comes in on budget and on time.” This model, he believes, will incentivize sharing and collaboration between all project participants.

The ECA is trying to show how early engagement and collaboration across the whole project team benefits everyone and that this brings obvious advantages over traditional contract delivery methods and technologies.

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Edmonton Construction Association

Embracing digital technologies “Part of the intent of the Digital Project Delivery movement is that we embrace digital technologies for their inherent purposes of making cleaner and faster contract documents, but more importantly, how those digital platforms can be exploited to share information across the traditional lines of communication,” says Aaron Schneider, BIM manager for Arpi’s North Inc., a mechanical subtrade that performs inhouse piping, plumbing, and sheet metal fabrication and installation. “The ECA is trying to show how early engagement and collaboration across the whole project team benefits everyone and that this brings obvious advantages over traditional contract delivery methods and technologies.” Schneider and Arpi’s North Inc. have been supportive of Edmonton’s revitalization by assisting the Edmonton Construction Association with the development and facilitation of the DPD courses. While technology is embedded in the courses, Schneider believes the large cultural shift needs to focus on the people who will be using them. “While the DPD process embraces the use of new technologies and software, the running theme is collaboration,

communication, and sharing of information which are people tasks, not computer tasks. We want everyone to understand how they fit in the new collaborative process and what tools are available to help them to take advantage of the technology to create, share, and collaborate with other team members.” Invigorating the industry Mirra Maheden, a VDC manager with EllisDon Construction Services Inc. and an instructor with the DPD courses, is hopeful that the training will inspire industry professionals to work towards embracing new technologies and new ways and processes for the advancement of design and construction. “We’re all working in different areas and scopes, and we can see inefficiencies and ways to improve it. But because we’re always falling back on traditional ways of doing things, we are not

embracing technology and innovations in our industry,” says Maheden. “The DPD will help inspire a new cohort of folks interested in change, to learn new skills in the design-construction process. These professionals will want to improve and adapt their business models, rather than continue to do things in the same manner.” Edmonton can have fantastic architecture When the industry shifts towards this more collaborative, technologicalsavvy model, the industry can identify inefficiencies and waste, and dedicate value to the right places in construction and design. “Edmonton can have fantastic architecture,” says Handa. “It needs a culture shift. One way to do that is to rally everyone involved in design and construction to say they want to

do something different, that there’s a better way to do things. So maybe owners, consultants, and builders listen and expectations change across the board.” Handa says that he thinks what you will see is owners who will be able to get a better final product at the end of the day, and maintaining and operating those assets will be a lot easier. “You may also see a lot of smart buildings which will translate into better, more sustainable architecture. On the private side, you should see architects, engineers, trades, and general contractors making a better bottom line — a lot less write-offs, less litigation about scope,” says Handa. “My big hope though is that through these courses, our construction process in Edmonton is a well-oiled machine that has a reputation for great products built in our city.” u

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Serving the industry

The ECA offers a Construction Management Course for the City of Edmonton By Shayna Wiwierski

This past January, project managers from the facility portfolio of the City of Edmonton got together for two days to address the challenges of an everchanging construction environment. The ECA facilitated two separate classes January 7 and 8, 2019 for 77 project managers from the City’s Integrated Infrastructure Services Department to learn about issues and best practices from the public owner perspective with reference to the current versions of the City of Edmonton Construction Management Contracts. “Utilizing a construction management approach on our facility projects can provide a framework for more effective working relationships on projects,” says Shannon

Fitzsimmons, general supervisor with facility planning and design at the City of Edmonton. “It’s important that our project managers have a good understanding of the construction management model and how to plan and deliver projects with this approach.” The courses were held at the ECA and were interactive with case studies and group exercises. Phil Perry, the instructor and president of Perry Educational, says that construction management is relatively new for the City as they recognized that there was quite a variety of skills or knowledge within their own group. Some managers were very experienced in the method and others were not as familiar, so the program was aimed at

getting the City’s project managers, project coordinators, and procurement specialists on the same page to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the method and learn how to use it more effectively as a project delivery method. This was the first time that the course was especially prepared and delivered to the City and was modelled on a similar course that the ECA delivered in the past. “We’ve had a one-day course on construction management and what the City wanted was something that was tailored just for them, from the owners’ point of view and especially getting into their city contracts,” says Perry. Over the two days, participants were given an overview of the construction

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Edmonton Construction Association

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management delivery model, exploring considerations when selecting it over other delivery methods and then reviewing the content of both the CCDC and city construction management contracts. The ECA also runs a separate CCDC two-day course, CCDC 101, which walks participants through all the standard contractors, how to use them as an owner, the contractor, and the designer. CCDC 101 is run three times a year and is a well-attended, very popular course. Having been familiar with the types of courses the ECA offers, Fitzsimmons, who has been involved with the ECA for years through the YBG, got in touch with the association to see if they could put together a course that would be tailored to their contract. “We are glad to augment and help the City build up its capacity, skills, and competencies that help them meet the challenges of an ever-changing construction environment,” says John McNicoll, executive director of the ECA. “It’s a great story, I was enthusiastic to say to all the students that ‘the City of Edmonton is a member of the ECA and, as the hub of construction, we seek to serve the entire industry, which includes each of you in your careers.’” The response to the course was very positive. Participants were able to connect the course content to projects they are currently working on and consider the approach to planning future projects. Although this was the first course that has been officially offered at this scale, Fitzsimmons says that they found value in it and could offer it again in the future. “It only makes sense that we engage industry partners in our training and development,” says Fitzsimmons, adding that owners tend to seek out expertise and training within their own space rather than developing integrated solutions with industry. “Working in construction with multiple stakeholders - owners, designers, contractors, subcontractors, and

happy to work with the City to offer workshops that help project managers and other City staff with the construction process. “Sometimes there is inexperience in the construction community and that affects the City,” says McNicoll. “And so, we know the City appreciates that we are training suppliers or vendors helping them understand city processes and city contracts so we can minimize conflicts, litigation, and waste.” u

operators - our opportunities to improve our knowledge and expertise are enhanced when we include the perspective of all industry partners.” The ECA is working with the City and all public owners to pursue vendor litigation and project delivery model clarifications, as well as BIM and DPD education, so that the delivery community, which all project owners access, is enabled to deliver the built environment that the community requires. The ECA’s McNicoll is

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Growing like a weed

Construction of cannabis facilities soars in Edmonton By Melanie Franner

Construction of Aurora Cannabis’ 800,000 -square-foot facility – Aurora Sky – began in November 2016 near the Edmonton International Airport.

When cannabis became legal on October 17, 2018, the city of Edmonton led all Canadian municipalities by having the most cannabis retailers open for business. Today, the city has emerged as a major centre of the Canadian cannabis industry. The City attributes this to its ability to respond “nimbly to emerging industries and new opportunities”. “Regulatory certainty is highly valued by this emerging industrial and commercial sector, and the City of Edmonton proactively established clear regulatory processes to support the cannabis supply chain from production to retail sales,” states the City. 56

Edmonton Construction Association

Today, Edmonton is home to head

Inc. and Acreage Pharms, with the

offices of some of the largest cannabis

recently licensed Freedom Cannabis

producers and retailers in the country.

anticipated to join this fall. Province-

The region is also home to some of the

wide, AGLC has issued 75 retail cannabis

biggest licensed cannabis production

licenses, and 11 of those have been issued

facilities in the world.

to Edmonton-based businesses. (This

According to the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), the province has secured contracts with

doesn’t include businesses in St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, etc.) The economic spin-off from this is

21 federally licensed producers and, of

significant. The City estimates that it

those, three are based in Alberta: Sundial

is adding millions of dollars into the

Growers, Aurora Cannabis Enterprises

Edmonton economy.

Edmonton Construction Association

And construction activities represent a large portion of this. The hot spot Scott Hughes, broker/owner of ReMax Commercial Capital, Edmonton, describes the interest and excitement in cannabis in the city of Edmonton as a significant emerging sector that will positively impact the commercial real estate market. “It is having a clear impact on industrial and retail space, including ancillary office demand,” he states. According to Hughes, a trifecta of factors has generated this excitement. The first is the legalization of cannabis; the second was the construction announcement issued by one of the industry’s leading players, Aurora Cannabis, and the third is the growth in the number of cannabis store licenses, currently 75 issued as of Q1 2019, with the potential to reach 250. “When Aurora announced that it was building an 800,000-square-foot stateof-the-art facility in the Edmonton region, it made national news,” says Hughes. “That’s when talk began that Edmonton could become a leading cannabis player not only in Canada, but globally.” There are several companies in the Edmonton region that are now on the cutting edge of organic soils, variants of plant strains, leading research in THC and CBD processing combined with product diversification that are all working to bring confidence to consumers both local, national, and global medical and recreational uses. Hughes suggests that cannabis is currently responsible for at least twomillion square feet of industrial space within the region. “It has less of an impact on retail space right now but that will change as retail outlets open and supply constraints are solved,” he says. Hughes cites the city of Denver as an example. “About one third of the industrial market activity in Denver is related to the legalization of cannabis, which has been

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Aurora Cannabis was founded in Alberta, with our first facility, Aurora Mountain, located in Cremona.

legal there for five years now,” he says. “We know that the cannabis sector is going to have a similar impact here.” Hughes says that construction and new store openings due to cannabis – be it industrial or retail – is taking place pretty well throughout all of the Edmonton region. By design AltaPro Electric Ltd. began seeing an initial growth in calls to assist in providing

design build budgets for new cannabis locations a little over three years ago – both in new sites and in renovating existing ones. To date, the company has participated in the budgeting and design of several projects, of which 25 per cent are waiting for funding in order to proceed. “We are currently involved in two projects related to the cannabis industry,” says Bert De Bruin, business development, AltaPro Electric. “We

have completed through a design build process with Chandos Construction, close to a 60,000-square-foot cannabis space with an additional 66,000 square feet, including a 17,000-square-foot R&D and extraction lab, under construction for Freedom Cannabis Inc.” De Bruin concedes that there are a few challenges in this sector. “From an electrical side, we’re finding that one of the hurdles – and sometimes a project killer – is the absence of

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The inner workings of the west Edmonton facility of Freedom Cannabis.

available power from an adjacent utility grid, either from EPCOR or Fortis,” he explains, adding that the last facility they designed required enough power to run 1,920 homes. “Even if there is power available through some means of utility upgrades, this can add an average of $1 million to your project. So now we have a budget issue and a schedule complication.” For this reason, De Bruin suggests that the addition of a photovoltaic (PV) grid is a popular choice. “What is also important for these cannabis projects is to make sure that your ‘grower’ is onboard at the early stage,” he advises. “This person’s strategy

Edmonton Construction Association

for plant and stem growth is not only the most important factor for their operation and sales, but it also greatly affects the power required for all the new grow lights. In addition, all the heat created through the grow cycles needs to be exhausted and the temperature and humidity controlled and modified with each stage of the plants’ grow cycle.” Freedom Cannabis recently launched a national marketing campaign on May 28 announcing the installation of Canada’s largest rooftop solar installation, which was also installed by AltaPro Electric Ltd. Another new twist to cannabis-related projects is the security and secrecy involved. “At first contact, just about every project starts off with an NDA to ensure privacy of the project and growing science,” says De Bruin. “Each project has high security measures implemented on the design, installation, and the eventual operations of the plant. All facilities are equipped with a highly intelligent camera and card-swipe system.”

Aurora Sky is currently described as the largest purpose-built cannabis facility in Canada. Regardless of the challenges, De Bruin is quick to see the cannabis industry as good news for Edmonton and beyond. “One can say that the cannabis industry is our new oil boom,” he states. “For us, we welcome this industry with open arms, as it has helped us through these tough times. Alberta has some of the lowest energy rates for power in Canada. This is a great attraction for the cannabis industry.” Behind the scenes Modern Niagara Alberta has been asked to provide mechanical installations services (plumbing, heating, sheet metal, and HVAC) to the growing cannabis industry, as well as design-assist services based on the company’s experience that it brings as a national group. Bob Smith, area manager, construction operations Alberta, Modern Niagara

Alberta, admits that the industry has a few challenges, such as the odour, building access, and energy. “Another challenge is in the design of the heating and cooling systems,” he says, noting that the challenging Alberta climate means that it comes down to finding a balance between system efficiency and longevity. “Another consideration is the requirement for precise and responsive climate control. Owners are spending a lot of money on facilities and every owner has different requirements based on their product needs. They don’t want to have to rebuild the mechanical system again in five years.” To date, Modern Niagara Alberta has been involved in pricing four cannabis facilities in the Edmonton region and two more within the province. So far, three

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have already begun – to the collective tune of more than 200,000 square feet. “We have over 14 projects in our portfolio nationwide,” says Smith, adding that the company has completed over one million square feet of cannabisrelated projects nationwide. Ready for take off There is no doubt that Aurora Cannabis is a leader when it comes to the cannabis industry. The fact that it chose the city of

Edmonton for its headquarters is a huge coup for the city. “Aurora was founded in Alberta, with our first facility, Aurora Mountain, located in Cremona,” states Heather MacGregor, director of communications, Aurora Cannabis. “Two of our founders are native Edmontonians, and we have a strong desire to help the province diversify its economy through acceptance and development of this new industry.” MacGregor credits the provincial

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government for consulting with industry stakeholders to make the jurisdictions one of the most successful in Canada in post-adult-use legalization. “Our partnership with the Edmonton International Airport allowed us to establish an important logistics hub that would be critical in establishing our export goals,” she continues. Construction of the company’s 800,000-square-foot facility – Aurora Sky – began in November 2016 near the airport. The facility uses “significant process automation and integrates artificial intelligence into the production of high-quality cannabis”. The facility is currently described as the largest purpose-built cannabis facility in Canada. “We are now in development on another Sky-Class facility in Medicine Hat, Alberta, named Aurora Sun, which will surpass Aurora Sky when it is complete,” says MacGregor. “It will offer more than 1.2 million square feet of growing space.” According to MacGregor, Aurora Cannabis has made significant

Scott Hughes, broker/owner of ReMax Commercial Capital, Edmonton, describes the interest and excitement in cannabis in the city of Edmonton as a significant emerging sector that will positively impact the commercial real estate market.

a team of local consultants, to overcome these challenges. “The proposed construction times are also very aggressive and require a different approach in terms of design and construction,” continues Wallace. “In order to meet these timelines, we have to think on our feet and, at times, work outside of our comfort zone to ensure the project moves along as fast and efficiently as possible.”

When fortune smiles Destiny Cannabis is another large player in the city of Edmonton. The company is opening a 90,000-squarefoot organic soil facility in the first half of 2019. This facility will be capable of producing 100,000 square metres of soil per year. Additionally, the company already has a 150,000-square-foot R&D facility under construction, with an expected completion date of May 2020. The new

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investment in the Edmonton area, resulting in just under 1,000 direct jobs. More hiring is planned within the next year. “Our global head office operations are located in downtown Edmonton,” adds MacGregor. “In January, we were pleased to announce the construction of Aurora Polaris, a 300,000-square-foot expansion to Aurora Sky. We have also made additional investments in two other Edmonton-area businesses: Hempco in Nisku, which has commissioned a new hemp decorticator and upgraded its processing facility; and Radient Technologies in south Edmonton, which has recently acquired its permit from Health Canada to start operations using its novel cannabis oil extraction technology.” Dawson Wallace Construction Ltd. is a long-standing construction firm that works with Aurora Cannabis. Brandon Wallace, project manager, says that the firm started seeing growth from the cannabis sector in early 2017. “With the urgency to get product to market, along with the supply shortages that have been experienced, I would expect steady growth through 2019 and into 2020 in an effort to keep up with demand,” he says. Wallace estimates that the firm has about 2.8 million square feet “on the books” for Aurora Cannabis. “These are not your average greenhouse facilities,” continues Wallace. “The majority of the projects we are dealing with are hybrid greenhouse structures with complex mechanical and electrical systems that been custom tailored to Aurora’s needs.” Although Dawson Wallace have distinguished themselves as experts within the construction industry, the recently legalized cannabis industry does come with its own challenges. “This is an emerging industry with unique structures and layouts not easily addressed in the building code,” explains Wallace, who adds that the firm has worked closely with Aurora Larssen Projects’ compliance director, along with

ECA Breaking Ground | Summer 2019 65

Having established itself as a major contender – if not leader – in the Canadian cannabis market, the city of Edmonton is poised to “double up” on its success when the Canadian government introduces edibles legislation.

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Edmonton Construction Association

facility will be a state-of-the-art ISO Level 6 cultivation, extraction, nursery, and breeding facility, capable of producing clones, extract, dry flower, organic living soil, organic bio-fertilizers, and growth promoters for commercially licensed producers, micro cultivators, craft producers, and the home horticulture markets. Destiny’s organic soil and genetics buildings are located in Nisku, Alberta. “Available land, large workforce and proximity to the airport were all important factors in the decision to build there,” states Ed Moroz, CEO, Destiny Cannabis, who adds that the decision was also influenced, in part, by the fact that Derrick Concrete Cutting & Construction Ltd.’s headquarters (of which Moroz is president) are also located in Edmonton. Synergy Projects Ltd. is an Edmonton-based construction company that is also actively involved in the cannabis industry. “We began seeing growth with some very large builds about three to four years ago,” explains Rob McGrath, president, Synergy Projects Ltd. “After the last federal election and cannabis legislation being part of the Liberal platform, we have seen a steady increase in the quantity and frequency of cannabis-related construction starts. As the industry continues to evolve, we see shifts in the type of cannabisrelated opportunities. Where earlier projects focused a lot on the indoor grow space, the current market is trending to extraction for both food and medical, as well as genetics.” McGrath suggests that cannabisrelated projects in Edmonton and area have helped to provide a large number of “good construction projects”. And he confirms that Synergy Projects is quite active in the construction of a variety of cannabis-related projects. “With a number of projects completed or underway (both grow/ manufacture and retail), we are continually learning the intricacies of this developing market,” he says, adding

that local regulatory requirements are becoming easier to navigate as a result. “Health Canada regulations do very much influence the design,” continues McGrath. “With a lot of facilities, we are seeing regulation or design guidelines to suit foreign markets (EUGMP), pharmaceutical (ISO standards), or food grade (Health Canada). In many cases, it’s all of the above. As a result, team selection for both design and construction is beginning to be more of a value-based selection. Experience, firm expertise, and the ability to perform are becoming paramount criteria in procurement.” Another game changer Having established itself as a major contender – if not leader – in the Canadian cannabis market, the city of Edmonton is poised to “double up” on its success when the Canadian government introduces edibles legislation. “We don’t have edibles legalized yet but it is coming,” states Hughes. “We

may see this as early as October of this year and when this happens, it’s going to bring a surge of additional consumers into the market and additional revenue for cannabis companies.” Hughes suggests that the edibles market in the U.S. has grown by 50 to 100 per cent per year, depending upon which state and analytics report is reviewed. In 2018, for example, the California edibles market surpassed 100 per cent growth year over year. The reason, adds Hughes, is that the edibles market will appeal to those individuals who don’t want the harmful effects of smoking. “The older generation of people, say those aged 45 and up, may want to try out a ‘healthy’ granola bar,” he says. “Edibles will be a big factor in the Canadian cannabis industry. It will have a significant impact on revenue, which will further drive demand in the industrial and retail markets within Edmonton.” Edmonton Economic Development quotes numbers from the Colorado

Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, which show that edibles represent approximately 45 per cent of the billiondollar legal cannabis marketplace in that state. Edmonton Economic Development suggests that edible products, if and when they become legal, have every reason to be just as popular in Canada as they have proven to be in Colorado. If this proves to be the case, the Edmonton construction industry will be well situated to reap the rewards. Prepare yourselves. The next round of cannabis legislation may be the best to come. “We anticipate that there will be a number of fast-paced projects on the horizon to satisfy the new demand for edibles,” concludes Wallace, who describes the cannabis industry as a good news story for the city and for the construction industry. “The cannabis industry has invested a great deal in Edmonton, which in turn has created jobs in design, production, and construction.” u

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Off to the races The Century Mile Racetrack and Casino bringing more tourism opportunities to Edmonton By Kevin Hampson

Century Mile Racetrack and Casino south of Edmonton officially opened on April 28, 2019.

Horse racing might seem like an oldfashioned pastime to some, but Century Casinos Inc. is betting the sport can still draw a crowd in Alberta. Judging by the turnout for the inaugural day of races at the company’s new Century Mile Racetrack and Casino south of Edmonton, the bet may be a good one. About 5,000 people turned up for the April 28 event, despite cold weather and flurries of snow, according to Paul Ryneveld, managing director of Century Mile. Ryneveld believes the new facility – in which Century Casinos invested about $62.5 million – will keep the crowds coming. 68

Located near Leduc on 101 acres of land leased from the Edmonton International Airport, Century Mile is billed as a prestigious horse racing facility and “the premier destination for racing fans” to catch standardbred, thoroughbred, and quarter horse races. It boasts of having the only one-mile ‘A’ track in Western Canada, and its stateof-the-art stables can accommodate 800 horses. Its 96,667-square-foot racing entertainment centre includes a casino with 550 slot machines and electronic table games, an interactive digital wall display, an off-track betting room, a restaurant, a bar and three

Edmonton Construction Association

VIP suites – each of which is equipped with a patio that overlooks the race track. The contractors were Chandos Construction as general contractor; BR2 Architecture as architects and interior designers; Stantec for civil engineering; and Superior Buildings & Design Ltd. for construction of the barns. The Century Mile entertainment centre is the second one built by Century Casinos, BR2, and Chandos together. The trio also partnered to construct the Century Downs Casino in Balzac, just north of Calgary. Century Mile’s casino is similar to the prior one, but on a larger scale with more machines, enhanced

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Century Mile’s location just off the QEII Highway is ideal for drawing lots of visitors, including those going to and from the airport since it’s in close proximity to EIA.

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finishes, F&B, as well as larger security and COMM infrastructure. The Leduc facility also incorporates a walker duct backbone under the floor for the gaming machines. Century Mile’s location just off the QEII Highway is ideal for drawing lots of visitors, Ryneveld said. Just a few minutes’ drive from the airport, the facility is in the neighbourhood of a shopping mall, hotels, and a golf course. There aren’t any other casinos in southern Edmonton or in the area south of the city. “On a Saturday, Sunday afternoon when we race, people will make that 30-minute drive to go to horse racing, and then the 364 days out of the year that we're open as a casino. We're providing an entertainment option in a part of the Edmonton region that wasn't serviced until now,” said Ryneveld. Derek Sampson, a partner with BR2 Architecture, noted the facility was designed with the airport in mind. A storage area for large baggage accommodates people going to and from the airport. And the building’s main entrance and racetrack entrance both have rooflines that emulate the wings of an airplane. The judges’ area has the same feature. Great views The design of the building ensures everyone seated on the second floor of the entertainment centre has a good view of the races, thanks to tiered seating that elevates people who are sitting

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farther away from the windows, which extend from the floor to the ceiling. “One of the things we're proud of at this facility is how good the views are at the second floor, and the various places that you can kind of hang out depending on what you want to do and how many people you have in your party for catching a day of racing,” Ryneveld said. A feature stair at the track entrance leads to a gathering area and yet another point from which to view the track. An elevated bleacher on the outside seats about 400 people, while picnic tables, benches, and chairs add another 100 seats. Some racing fans have complained that more bleachers should have been built, but Ryneveld said many spectators like to walk around as they watch the action.

The complex is home to a 96,667-square-foot racing entertainment centre includes a casino with 550 slot machines and electronic table games, an interactive digital wall display, an off-track betting room, a restaurant, a bar and three VIP suites.

“A lot of people, when they come to horse racing they're mobile; they'll go down to the paddock and watch the horses get saddled and go to the rails and watch when the race actually happens.” Even with the 5,000 visitors who showed up for the inaugural races, another 2,000 or 3,000 people could have fit on the apron, Ryneveld said. The facility has 1,100 parking spots with overflow parking for another 2,200 vehicles. A long history Century Casinos was chosen from among a number of groups that applied to Horse Racing Alberta to build a new racing facility in the Edmonton area. 72

Edmonton Construction Association

This came after Northlands – the longtime home of horse racing in Edmonton – announced in 2016 that it would no longer be hosting races, and its old racetrack and casino would be converted into festival grounds. The non-profit needed to build for a sustainable future, Northlands CEO Tim Reid explained at the time. The announcement registered as a blow to many in the horse racing industry, which has a long history in Alberta. The sport started in Edmonton in 1882, and the Northlands track had hosted races since 1900. It was a sad day, then, for many people when the historic Northlands Park Racetrack held its final race last October. Nevertheless, Ryneveld believes the new Century Mile track presents the opportunity for horse racing to come back bigger and better than ever, largely because of the fact that it is a onemile track. In the world of horse racing, anything less than a mile is looked down upon as being a mere exhibition track, Ryneveld said. “Without the mile race track, the rest of North America looks at Western Canada as being double-A, being in the minor leagues.” Having a one-mile track makes it possible to attract a larger quantity of horses and better horses, Ryneveld said, stressing that the greater length makes a world of difference for the thoroughbreds. “They like to have the longer stretch that you attain going to a mile race track, and it makes it so you aren’t having to go through turns where you can’t really make up ground or try to pass other horses.” This means the breeding of horses is going to change, since horses up to now have been bred to race on tracks with a smaller circumference. If breeders had a “really big horse” it probably would not have fit on the existing tracks, so it would be shipped or sold to someone in the States or Ontario where there were bigger race tracks to run on, Ryneveld said.

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“So, we should see breeding improve;

virtual monopoly on legal gambling that it

we should see the type of horse brought

once enjoyed. The legalization of lotteries

to Alberta or bought in Alberta improve,

began to erode the horse racing handle

and that will translate into better betting

in the 1970s and this trend continued

handles and hopefully more fans as time

with the proliferation of casinos in the

goes on.”

1990s, Ryneveld said, adding that Century Mile is situated in an unserved market,

Although the horse racing market has been getting smaller in recent decades,

so it will be a draw for people seeking

it isn’t because the sport itself has lost its

entertainment.

appeal, according to Ryneveld. Rather,

Together with the five-and-a-half

it’s the result of horse betting losing the

furlong track at Century Downs, of which

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Ryneveld is also the managing director, Century Mile will grow the racing handle. “We feel like with the two new facilities and new infrastructure for horse racing that we can actually grow the business at both facilities [and] the interest level in betting on horse racing can start moving in the positive direction instead of the declining direction,” said Ryneveld. A major project Chandos Construction project manager Todd Baker praised Century Casinos for making such a significant contribution to horse racing in the province. Highlighting the magnitude of the project, which started in July of 2017, he noted that they moved several hundred thousand cubic metres of material to build the track. “I think Century needs to be commended for putting the investment into horse racing so that horse racing can stay alive, particularly in light of the issues at Northlands,” said Baker, adding that one big challenge contractors faced was a learning curve when it comes to building horse racing tracks. “Horse racing isn’t the most common sport; so, because they’re not building these things on every street corner, it took a lot of cross-discipline consultants.”

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Century Casinos was chosen from among a number of groups that applied to Horse Racing Alberta to build a new racing facility in the Edmonton area.

One such consultant was racetrack expert Steve Wood, former superintendent of Del Mar and Santa Anita tracks in California. “He travels the world, to Hong Kong, China, and the Middle East basically advising on how to construct these things,” Baker said. Wood provided the specs about drainage and the composition of the track, which is made from a mixture of sand, clay, and mulch. The base layer was formed with several thousand metric tonnes of clean aggregate; on top of that was put a drainage mat, and then came a layer of shale for the standardbreds. A softer layer will be put down for the thoroughbreds during the warmer months. Century Mile’s stables and paddocks are nearly as good as it gets, said Blair Corbeil, president of Superior Buildings & Design Ltd. “It’s as good as anything in Canada and anything that’s in Alberta, for sure.”

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Thoroughbreds start their races from an outdoor race paddock next to the grandstands, while standardbreds set off from a paddock near the barn. “The race paddock for the standardbreds is state of the art,” said Corbeil. “They’re designed for television, so they’ll be able to showcase the equine athletes as they prepare to go out to the racetrack to race.” One of the most important features of both barns is ventilation, Corbeil added. The health of the horses was premier when Century and Superior Buildings & Design Ltd. were designing the buildings. A state-of-the-art ventilation system in the winter barn is designed to have four air changes per hour. The summer barn has a roof, but no walls - a stipulation from Century. “The more fresh air you can provide horses, the better it is for them,” Corbeil explained. Both barns have wash racks for the horses, laundry facilities, washrooms

MAYP1EN3 th 2019

and showers for trainers to wash up after a day on the track. The cozy indoor barn will be a new luxury for many horses and trainers, as most of the stalls at Northlands were outdoors. What indoor stalls they did have had not been well maintained, Corbeil said. “They weren’t in very good shape and they had very little ventilation in them. When you have an indoor barn, ventilation is absolutely key, because one horse gets sick and disease spreads through all of them,” said Corbeil. “Then next thing you know you don’t have enough horses to race that week.” While the horses won’t have much to complain about, Corbeil said budget constraints made it necessary to cut out certain amenities that horsemen would have liked, such as offices and a hard-surface floor, he added. “We had to answer to a budget, so some of the nice-to-haves couldn’t be implemented at this time,” said Corbeil. As far as the horses are concerned, however, no expense was spared, and many of the decisions were based on what was best for their health, Corbeil added. “The health of the horses came first in all of the discussions … They’re the stars of the show.” u

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The world needs more philosophers right about now How 5G is going to unlock a layer of connectivity that our industry has never experienced

By Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson

I don’t think many of us have left our cubicles, walked away from the gossip at the water cooler, or sat on a deck with a gin and tonic and deeply thought about what is happening. We should do all of these things. There is a point in time, not far off, that I think our industry will change. Hard and fast. Forever. We are ripe for it. Honestly, we haven’t really led by example in the 78

Edmonton Construction Association

innovation space so maybe we deserve what is coming. Maybe we deserve to be completely disrupted and caught off guard. Let’s think differently and do better. We have no choice. Technology has brought it to a crossroad. There is the technology we deploy to do what we do – to get faster, better, cheaper. And there is the technology

5G is going to unlock a layer of connectivity that our industry has never experienced.

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According to Canadian, American, and European patent offices, the number of patent applications related to 5G and smart and connected objects has increased more than 50 per cent in the last three years.

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that connects the people we serve. These are two very different perspectives on the power of technology in our businesses. The latter is more important. Uber. Instagram. Countless other firms. These are hardly technology companies. These are connectivity companies. Each gave us a new way to connect and we consumed it to the extent that helped make a lot of people billionaires. Our desire to connect in all sorts of ways is an undeniable component of what it means to be human. Connectivity means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but it is connectivity that underwrites the greatest communities, companies, and cities. It’s people. It’s not stuff and things. It’s not processes, spreadsheets, and algorithms. With the advent of 5G, the way we as consumers of the built environment expect to interact with it is going to change. 5G is going to unlock a layer of connectivity that our industry has never experienced. Let’s not screw this up. We will have access to more data. We will also produce more data. We will have more control and influence over all the bits and pieces of life around us. My guess is many will love it and adapt pretty quickly. Why? Well, because humans value connectivity more than we may realize. Think about that. 5G is the tipping point for us. It’s cool technology, but what it implies – what it will allow us to do – is worth some philosophy. The 5G spectrum auction in Canada just took place. Canadian wireless operators invested more than $3.5 billion in acquiring licenses to provide services within the appropriate frequency.

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Technology exists now to tie all of the independent systems in a building together in such a way that the data is aggregated, analyzed, and understood so optimization decisions can be made in an automated environment.

Twelve qualified bidders went through 54 rounds of bidding over 18 business days before the government awarded 104 licenses to nine participants. Rogers was the most aggressive, winning 52 licenses in every province and territory for more than $1.7 billion. Telus spent nearly $1 billion on 12 licenses. So, it goes without saying 5G is coming. Economists estimate the global economic impact of 5G in new goods and services will reach $12 trillion by 2035 as 5G moves mobile technology from connecting people to people and information, to connecting people to everything. To put that in perspective, Canada’s GDP in 2018 was $1.7 trillion. We are in the business of building everything. The impact 5G will have on our industry cannot be understated. 82

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5G will be more than 100-times faster than the current mobile technology environment. It will allow thousands more connection points per metre. And, for the first time in our existence, we will have the ability to put sensors on anything and everything. And, mark my words, we will. We are funny like that. What we are looking at here is the ‘Internet of things’ truly enabled. Finally. Buildings and cities will become smart, not because politicians came up with an initiative of some sort, or because we as industry decided it was the right thing to do, but because our clients – those with that insatiable demand for connectivity – will in some implied way, be entitled to it. If we don’t deliver, how we do what we do will be Ubered by a kid from Silicon Valley. According to Canadian, American, and European patent offices, the number of patent applications related to 5G and smart and connected objects has increased more than 50 per cent in the last three years. This reaffirms to me that we don’t know what’s coming. One thing is for sure though; the pace of change will be wild and free. We can’t consume ourselves with trying to identify what our clients will want in the not-too-distant future because they probably don’t even know. But we do have some options and they are pretty straightforward. Future proof. There are two very different parts to this conversation. Intelligent buildings and smart cities. The same but different. Intelligent buildings are where it begins. Technology exists now to tie all of the independent systems in a building

together in such a way that the data is aggregated, analyzed, and understood so optimization decisions can be made in an automated environment. The largest, most complicated buildings can be managed and optimized from an iPad. This needs to become the norm. Those that push this investment off over and over risk waking up one day to face redundancy. We need to value connectivity and technology in buildings in the same way we have come to value sustainability. A smart city is more a philosophy than it is a clearly defined thing. There are cities that have declared themselves smart, and there are cities that are doing a handful of smart things. But, until the mobile environment of 5G has arrived and settled, I believe much of the conversation around what a smart city is and isn’t is just a suite of the best guesses by people who love cities. That’s a good thing. Philosophically, a smart city is one that uses the vast amounts of data produced to make the world a better place. With sensors on anything and everything, one can imagine how much data a given city would produce. I am fascinated by this conversation, but by no means am I totally comfortable with how things are going. I want the world to be a better place. I want us to live in a great city. I think we all do. I think we are all excited by the prospect of technology and connectivity changing our industry. Where all of this can break down and make it a fool’s theory is in how we govern, manage, and administer the incredible amounts

of data that will be produced in our intelligent buildings and smart cities. The data we will produce in doing what we have always done, but in a 5G environment, will become the most valuable thing ever produced. It may also change our understanding of personal boundaries. We should think about that. Until the conversation around data is signed, sealed, and delivered, I worry that all of the biggest and best ideas around intelligent buildings and smart cities may always just be ideas. Politicians should talk about policies around the good governance of data. Venture capitalists should empower the brightest city builders to think even bigger. Developers should value technology as a critical component of their assets, old and new. Cities need to chill out and let themselves become smart through the normal process of entrepreneurship. We got this. And, you need to realize that one day you will be walking down a public sidewalk with sensors embedded in the concrete that sync with your Garmin watch. Whose data is that anyway? u Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson, MBA is the director of business development at EllisDon Construction Services Inc. He’s a simple guy from Edmonton that’s passionate about building cities.

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From bears to brews Polar Park Brewing Company takes over former bakery building and pays homage to Albertan game farm legend By Shayna Wiwierski

Polar Park Brewing Company, located at 10416 80 Avenue NW in Edmonton, is an homage to the late Al Oeming, a provincial legend who founded and ran the Alberta Game Farm, later known as Polar Park since they bred polar bears, grizzly bears, muskox, and other exotic animals.

The spirit of a beloved Albertan game

Oeming, respectively, and a number of

animal focused, but he passed away on

farm lives on in Edmonton with one of

partners.

St. Patrick’s Day 2014, which is the largest

the city’s newest breweries and event centres.

“Al’s my grandfather; he was a pretty

beer celebration day on the globe, so me

famous Albertan. He would go around

and my old man had the idea to retrofit

to all the schools in Western Canada,

the old polar bear compound into a

at 10416 80 Avenue NW in Edmonton,

and even some in Ontario and out east,

brewery, because what’s more Canadian

is an homage to the late Al Oeming, a

and always bring his cheetah with him.

then beer brewed out of an old polar

provincial legend who founded and ran

He had a campaign called the ‘Cheetahs

bear compound?”

the Alberta Game Farm, later known as

on the Razor’s Edge’ and would be an

Polar Park since they bred polar bears,

advocate for conservation,” says Robert

east of Edmonton, turned out to be too

grizzly bears, muskox, and other exotic

Oeming, whose background includes

expensive to retrofit, so they turned their

animals. The brewery is being run by

a masters of finance from Queen’s

attention to an historic building in central

Al’s son and grandson, Todd and Robert

University. “Our history was very much

Edmonton, formerly the home of the

Polar Park Brewing Company, located

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The compound, located 35 kilometres

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Polar Park is in the same building as the former Bee-Bell Bakery, which closed in 2013. Since the building had been empty for a number of years, the 14,000-square-foot space had to be brought up to current codes in terms of architectural, structural, and mechanical.

The owners acquired an old copper vat system for brewing the beer which predated the Second World War. The system was originally from Ulm, Germany in 1938 and brewed there for four decades before being purchased by Summit Brewing in St. Paul, MN .

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Bee-Bell Bakery, one of the city’s oldest bakeries which officially closed its doors in 2013. Since the building had been empty for a number of years, the 14,000-squarefoot space had to be brought up to current codes in terms of architectural, structural, and mechanical. The owner group chose Stanley Construction as the general contractors and Burgess Bredo Architect for the design. Some of the subcontractors who worked on the project included High Line Electrical Constructors Ltd. (electric), Lehmann Plumbing Ltd. (plumbing), and Imperial Steel Fabricating (1977) Ltd. (structural steel). “It was an exciting building to take over, but fraught with challenges,” says Oeming. “There were health hazards and asbestos, PCB lighting, structural work, and we had to dig out all the concrete and foundation in the basement because there was no rebar.” Construction started on the site after permitting was approved in October 2017. Paul Gantar, president of Stanley Construction, says that there was quite a bit of work involved in increasing the water service to the building and that the structural retrofits were quite an interesting task. The owners acquired an

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Since the brew system is so large, the team had to cut a massive hole in the floor, which is where the brew tanks sit. Encompassing that hole is a glass wall, where patrons can see into the brew operations which are downstairs in the basement.

old copper vat system for brewing the beer which predated the Second World War. The system was originally from Ulm, Germany in 1938 and brewed there for four decades before being purchased by Summit Brewing in St. Paul, MN in the early ‘80s, which is now the 24th largest craft brewer in the continental United States, according to the Brewers Association. From there it was sold to another brewery in California before Oeming managed to get his hands on it. Since the system is so large, the team had to cut a massive hole in the floor, which is where the brew tanks sit. Encompassing that hole is a glass wall, where patrons can see into the brew

Edmonton Construction Association

operations which are downstairs in the basement. Since they chose a building with 12-foot ceilings, the team knew it would be a challenge to fit the brewing equipment into the building. As a result, they had to cut a 1,000-square-foot hole in their main floor, creating 30 feet of clearance. They put the four 17-foot-tall fermenters right in the basement with the copper vat on stilts so it would be viewed from the main floor. “The main floor would not be recognizable if you were a customer of the bakery. The whole main floor has been opened up,” says Gantar. “The old bakery ovens, the prep space is gone and the main floor has a massive hole in

it where you have the brew tanks sitting. Only the main entry ceilings would be recognizable, they wanted to maintain that, which we managed to work around it so it could just get painted over.” In order to create the hole in the floor for the brewing tanks, they had to make sure they met all local codes (which included a new HRV unit on the roof) and the Alberta Building Code as well. Henry Howard, architect with Burgess Bredo Architect, says that their job was to try to insert the brewery into an existing building that had a different configuration and that had previously been used for a different purpose, as well

Initially, the owners wanted to put the brewery in the old polar bear compound, located 35 kilometres east of Edmonton, however, it turned out to be too expensive to retrofit, so they turned their attention to an historic building in central Edmonton.

as make sure that they had visibility and fire protection. Although the brewery is not fully opened yet, contractors handed over the space in summer 2018. The second floor, which is currently open and offers various Latin dance nights, as well as fitness classes, features an event space with an innovative cushioned floor made from six-millimetre cork on top of two layers of plywood, then a quarter saw white oak out of the eastern seaboard. Since the bakery’s oven was still there when they moved in, they deconstructed it and turned it into a 1,000-square-foot stainless-steel stage. In order to accommodate the event space on the second floor, which involved bands coming in, dancing and jumping around, they had to structurally strengthen the steel and shore up the whole building in order to accommodate the live load capacity. “We had to work with a structural engineer for the second floor; we had to add a lot of structural components to it to beef up the floors since they were going to put a lot of weight on it to hold a lot of people,” says Howard, who mentions that this was not a typical project for them, as they specialize in more commercial and industrial builds. “Instead of an office, it would be used for dances, parties, that sort of thing; a lot more of a live load consideration.” As for the actual aesthetic of the building, there are a number of old wooden retro animal signs from the ‘50s onward that were used at the original game farm. These are hung around the brewery and feature historic images of Oeming’s grandfather with his animals. “We have this one picture of [Al] with what appears to be a 1,000-pound grizzly bear plus us sitting on its butt as Al is bottle-feeding it with an exceptionally large jug of milk,” says Oeming, adding that photos like these were some of the inspiration behind the brewery. “I remember showing my professor at university that this is what I want to do and he said ‘this will sell beer’.” Now that the event centre is open and they are just finishing up the brewery, the

In order to accommodate the event space on the second floor, they had to structurally strengthen the steel and shore up the whole building in order to have the live load capacity.

$3 million project, which was originally planned to open in 2017, should hopefully be fully open this summer. Oeming says that it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions retrofitting this building into a brewery, especially with all its challenges, but they are excited to hit the ground running once everything is fully operating. “It’s been five years since [Al] passed, five years since he passed with this idea, and if you had asked me five years ago if it would have taken [this long], I would have told you ‘you’re high, there is no chance.’ But, when you retrofit an old condemned bakery with a brewing vat from 1938, then I guess you pay for the price, and that was time.” u

Al Oeming in centre holding Big Dan in 1963. Al got the three abandoned grizzly bears where they lived the next 40 years of their life in the Alberta Game Farm. Because of this, Swan Hills ended up designating the area as the Swan Hills Grizzly Sanctuary.

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ECA Breaking Ground | Summer 2019 89

Pushing through Family owned and operated Hendriks Construction is a mainstay in the Edmonton construction industry after almost 45 years By Shayna Wiwierski

When Al Hendriks moved from Holland to Edmonton after the Second World War, he probably didn’t think he would start a legacy in the city’s construction industry. Founded in 1975 by Al, Hendriks Construction is a design-build construction company who has built and worked on a number of iconic projects in the Edmonton area. The company is currently managed by Al’s son Perry, with John (who is the senior site superintendent), Angie, and Allen all being involved in the company. Now at 85 years of age, although Al doesn’t partake in the day-to-day business of the company anymore, he still shows up every Monday to review the status of the company he founded. “My dad is a man that will never retire, he is built to work and has a work ethic second to none,” says Perry

Hendriks, general manager of Hendriks Construction. “He’s a very sharp man.” Although the company was founded in the mid-‘70s, Al Hendriks worked on a number of notable projects in the city after arriving in Edmonton in 1958. He was in charge of construction for St. Joseph’s Basilica, the Derrick Golf & Winter Club, the Annunciation Catholic Church, Garneau Towers, Londonderry Mall, Kingsway Mall, and a large portion of the Royal Alexandra Hospital, just to name a few. As for Hendriks Construction, they have been involved in a number of projects, including a large portion of the Edmonton Institution renovations, two power substations in Edmonton (Castle Down and Epcor Dome Substation), the William Lutsky YMCA, and a number of churches. “We became known as the ‘steeple

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Al Hendriks, who moved to Edmonton from Holland after the Second World War.

people’ and that still is part of our legacy,” says Perry. “Churches have a completely different approach because it’s committee driven. You generally have a building committee you are working with and the building committee has [the head of the church] to answer to. You have to disseminate the information so you get the design correct to the different churches.” Perry mentions that being a designbuild contractor has certainly helped in building projects, although it is a different method than being a general contractor. He says that if you are a general contractor that works from a built set of drawings, then you go online at the ECA and see the job, go to tender and bid on the job hoping you get it. Their process is different since they have to go through a

number of steps in hopes that they end up with a project at the end. He says that there are always issues, but you have to have a whole lot of rigor in the process and keep pushing through. Hendriks Construction is used to persevering since the company has gone through three recessions now. “If you take the list of contractors working in 1975 and you look at the list today, there isn’t many of us left from that day,” says Perry. “The recessions have really hurt us out here, but we have managed to work through it and part of what’s kept us above ground is the sheer nature of us.” Perry credits the people that work at Hendriks Construction, of which there are around 40 depending on the project, for being the saving grace for the company. Although they are still a general contractor, they also do a lot of the subtrades work. For instance, they have their own carpenters, they do their own form work, concrete finishing, drywall, framing, and have their own shop to manage smaller millwork items. He also mentions that a lot of their staff are able to do multiple jobs; for example, the people that do the framing can also do the drywall. Although the work in Alberta may not be as booming as it once was, Hendriks Construction is still pressing on and credits the ECA for keeping the industry connected. Perry says that they have been a part of the association since they first started and used to be neighbours since the ECA previously rented out an office in the building they are currently in. He also credits the association with putting on a lot of networking events and the ability to connect with colleagues and share perspectives about the industry. “They put on a lot of events and we have attended quite a few of them. You get to meet a lot of your colleagues and you get to say when it’s going well and when it’s not. You have a lot of dialogue to see where others are at

and their view on what is going on with the economy. The ECA brings all that which is very vital to the whole process here.” Even though the company has been around for 44 years, Perry mentions that they don’t foresee the business slowing down anytime soon. He does mention that his father, Al, has carved out many successes over his tenure. “It’s a legacy project by any

definition and the fact that you can immigrate from Holland, that you can overcome the adversity of the Second World War and everything that came with that, and come here with your first day at the immigration hall in downtown Edmonton. From there you build yourself into what my father has accomplished today; it’s remarkable what he’s been able to do.” u

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ECA Breaking Ground | Summer 2019 91

Growing and learning through partnership By Curtis Griffith

Continuous improvement will not be a new concept to anyone flipping the pages of this magazine. In our day-today we are constantly trying to improve, whether in our professional roles or in our lives as parents, friends, and neighbours. BuildWorks Canada is no different as we constantly try to stay ahead of the curve and provide value to member firms and users across Western Canada. The BuildWorks Canada partnership of local construction associations across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta was born of a desire to work together and improve our service offering to the 4,500+ member firms across the prairies. We had specific goals to improve our technology, create a directory, and generate new revenues through advertising. These are all tangible items

that we can control, measure, and report on which is extremely helpful in our growth. Less tangible is how we are improving our service through the collaboration our partnership creates. By working together as three provinces, we are aligning our processes, learning from each other, and taking best practices from each region to implement across the platform. Our experience and resources have expanded three-fold, allowing us to improve and assist member firms faster and more accurately. Our depth of knowledge has increased, so we are not making the same mistakes already experienced and learned from in the past. Removing these provincial barriers is allowing us all to do our jobs more effectively and efficiently. The flow of information and the pursuit of opportunities does not respect

provincial borders, so in our own way, we are removing these false borders to add member value across our partnership. We see our continuous improvement as partners and collaboraters as a clear path to growth and domination of the construction information and opportunity space we occupy. By working together and improving our service every day, we solidify our relevance and value in the marketplace. Good luck in your own pursuit of growth and continuous improvement while BuildWorks Canada works to connect you and your business to new opportunities. Curtis Griffith is the director of business development for BuildWorks Canada. u

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Father and son duo work together to change Edmonton’s skyline Profile on Dub Architects Ltd. By Amanda Lefley

“Working with my son Michael over the last 10 years has been one of the greatest experiences in my career,” says Gene Dub, MRAIC, AAA, a principal architect of Dub Architects Ltd. “As passionate and opinionated as we both are about architecture we have never had an unpleasant disagreement. Sometimes you just luck out.” Gene obtained his bachelor of arts from the University of Alberta and received his bachelor of architecture from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1971. He went on to also complete his post graduate studies at UBC. In 1973, Gene established Dub Architects Ltd. Gene married in 1980 and had three children. In 2003, his son Michael Dub graduated from the Cooper Union School of Architecture in New York City after receiving a five-year educational scholarship. Upon graduation, Michael joined Dub Architects and was named partner in 2016. Together, Gene and Michael have managed more than 20 award-winning projects and received more than 70 design awards. With a combined total of more than 50 years of design and management experience, one would more than likely recognize some of the significant projects they have overseen – many of which have been bestowed with either national or local awards for their pristine design work including Edmonton City Hall, Bay Building in Saskatoon, Le Marchand Mansion, Edson Provincial Building, Capital Health Centre, as well as the Jasper Place and Millwoods Libraries. Their work on the Alberta Hotel received a National Urban Design Award and the Edmonton Urban Design Award. 94

Architects Gene Dub (right) and his son Michael.

Their work on Edmonton City Hall was recognized with the Edmonton Urban Design Award and the CISC Alberta Steel Award. Dub Architects have had an enduring history, directing a variety of architectural projects across all sectors that range in size and complexity resulting in a significant impact on the skyline of Edmonton. In 2005, Gene received the Alberta Centennial Medal for outstanding

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services and was also recognized as one of the more influential Albertans of the century. In 2011, he was inducted into the City of Edmonton’s Salute to Excellence Hall of Fame for his overall contributions to arts and culture. Today, Michael works full-time at Dub Architects while Gene spends approximately 80 per cent of his working hours on architectural matters and 20 per cent with a complementary

The Alberta Hotel, which was built in 1903 and then demolished in 1984, was reconstructed by Dub Architects with the original facade.

development firm called Five Oaks Inc., which primarily works on renovations and historic restoration projects. “Five Oaks is presently involved in four residential projects containing more than 1,000 units and several

The Edge building, designed by Dub Architects features a 50-panel solar wall which produces enough energy to power 25 homes.

mixed-use projects,” explained Gene. “It has developed about 20 projects over the years, including the downtown Bay Department Store in Saskatoon conversion to 140, two-storey lofts, the conversion of the historic McLeod

Building to 105 condominium units, and the reconstruction of the historic Alberta Hotel in Edmonton. Five Oaks recently completed the 10-storey Edge Building next to MacEwan University in downtown Edmonton, which features

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Dub Architects worked in joint-venture with Hughes Condon Marler Architects on the Jasper Place Library.

the largest vertical solar wall in Canada,” he said, adding that

and practical construction techniques,” says Gene. “For many

Dub Architects recently moved into the top two floors of that

projects I believe architects are entering a period of integrated

very building.

project delivery models involving new forms of communication

The development firm is named after Gene’s immediate

between design consultants and construction team members.

family and symbolizes the ‘five Dubs’. Their surname, Dub, is

These collaborative project delivery approaches must address

the Ukrainian word meaning oak – hence Five Oaks Inc. The

the issue of design quality, as well as technical performance

name pays tribute to their household which is comprised of

and financial responsibility.” Gene believes design teams must

four skilled architects and one member who thought there

add in-depth sustainability compliance and energy modelling

were enough architects in the family and has a doctorate in

to their check lists for today’s architecture projects, while

philosophy. Alongside Gene and Michael, Eva Bartel Dub, Gene’s

also factoring in compressed projects schedules and off-site

wife and Michael’s mother, worked for Dub Architects for more

prefabrication alternatives.

than 20 years before becoming a landscape painter. Claire Dub, Gene’s daughter and Michael’s sister, graduated from the Columbia School of Architecture in 2011 and is currently working for a large architecture firm in New York City. “Working with various contractors on Five Oaks Inc. projects has been beneficial to the architecture practice as it requires the architects to be knowledgeable about both financial constraints

“Young architects are sometimes interested in the conceptual design at the expense of the construction aspects of a project. It’s important that young architects expand their construction knowledge,” said Gene. “Once 30 per cent of the design is established, contractors sometimes treat the designers as a subtrade causing project collaboration to suffer. Differences between architects, engineers, contractors, and owners are inevitable and even healthy, but, good communication throughout the development process shouldn’t be sacrificed.” As for the future of Dub Architects, Michael said the firm is entering a very exciting period with several projects in the Saskatchewan River Valley area, including a major river waterfront project, a Fort Edmonton entry building, and a new 80-storey

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Edmonton’s skyline. Michael states, “we’re really looking forward to seeing that project come to fruition as we watch it grow from our office building. It’s something our firm is proud to be a part of.” u

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